(Photo Provided with release)

Keystone State News Connection

Danielle Smith

In Pennsylvania, today is the last day to register to vote or update your voter registration before the November 8 midterm election.

You have until midnight to register to vote.

Seventy-one percent of registered Pennsylvania voters cast their ballots in the 2020 General Election. Meg Pierce – executive director of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania – said the state saw a huge surge in participation in the 2020 presidential election.

Then the numbers dipped a little in 2021. But Pierce predicted a high turnout again this November.

“Some ‘PA’ legislative senator positions are open, and all of the Pennsylvania House positions are open,” said Pierce. “So there’s a lot on the ballot, and there’s a lot to care about and research. So, we are anticipating a very high turnout because of the races that are on the ballot this November.”

She added that in order to vote by mail, you must request a mail-in ballot through November 1, and your ballot must be received by your county election office by November 8.

In August, Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting law was upheld by the state Supreme Court, a decision that allows the more than 8.7 million registered voters to vote by mail in the November midterms, as well as in future elections.

Pierce said despite some misinformation being circulated right now about the election, it’s important that people know their vote matters – and it will count. She adds there are a lot of critical issues on the ballot that elected officials – who are essentially interviewing for a job right now – will affect.

“If you care about protecting our democratic institutions,” said Pierce, “if you care about things like abortion access, climate justice, gun safety, public education funding – how you vote in this November election will have profound implications for Pennsylvania, and where and how we make progress on those issues.”

Pierce touted the League’s website ‘Vote411.org‘ as a one-stop shop for election information.

Folks can check their voter registration status, find their polling place or request a mail-in ballot. By entering a mailing address, they can also see a guide to the specific races on their ballot, along with candidate information.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

(File Photo)

(Monaca, Pa.) The Community College of Beaver County, in partnership with the Beaver County Library system, is offering a free hands-on computer security workshop on Monday November 14, 2022. Topics include passwords, two-factor identification, malware software, and more. This 90-minute course will not only educate the local community but will also help protect the families and businesses that CCBC interacts with.
Instruction will be provided by CCBC’s Cyber 1 class educator, Kristi Farrow and some of her students. Her class is part of CCBC’s 2-year Cybersecurity associate degree program.
The workshop will be held from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Beaver County Library Facility on Pleasant Drive in Center Twp.

(Neville Island, Pa.) PennDOT is announcing the closure of the ramp from Grand Avenue (Neville Island) to northbound I-79 at the Neville Island Bridge in Neville Township, Allegheny County, will begin Today. The ramp will be closed continuously through Friday, November 4 as crews conduct concrete deck repairs. All ramp traffic will be detoured.

Posted Detour

• From westbound Grand Avenue, cross the Ohio River via the Coraopolis Bridge
• Turn right onto northbound Route 51 (4th Avenue)
• Turn left onto Montour Street Extension
• Turn left onto southbound Route 51 (5th Avenue)
• Continue southbound on Route 51 (5th Avenue becomes State Avenue)
• Turn right onto the ramp to northbound I-79 toward Erie
• End detour

Alternate Detour

• From eastbound Grand Avenue, bear right onto Neville Road
• Cross the Ohio River via the Fleming Park Bridge
• Turn right onto northbound Route 51 (Robinson Boulevard) toward Coraopolis
• Continue northbound on Route 51 (Robinson Boulevard becomes Coraopolis Road)
• Turn left onto the ramp to northbound I-79
• End detour

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for the I-79 Neville Island Bridge rehabilitation including traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov. Please write “Subscribe – I-79” in the subject line.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

(Photo from L to R: State Rep. Rob Matzie (D-16th); Tim Iman, Executive Director of Crop & Kettle; and Colin Fitzsimmons, Vistra’s director of government affairs in Pennsylvania. Provided with release) 

(BEAVER COUNTY, Pa.) Vistra and its leading Pennsylvania retail electricity brand, Dynegy, today announced $6,000 in donations to support the work of several nonprofit organizations investing in Beaver County communities and assisting local residents.

“It’s important for us to invest in the communities where we operate and where our customers live,” said Colin Fitzsimmons, Vistra’s director of government affairs. “We work closely with our neighbors and local leaders to target our grants to organizations working to strengthen communities by helping individuals and families overcome challenges. We’re proud to partner with these groups.”

Among the grant recipients:

• Center for Hope, Ambridge – $1,500 to support programs designed to supplement everyday needs for qualified individuals and families. The grant is being allocated specifically to support the nonprofit’s food pantry service.
• Crop and Kettle, New Brighton – $1,500 to support the organization’s innovative use of the food service industry to provide on-the-job training and workforce development for community members facing barriers to employment.
• Franklin Center of Beaver County, Aliquippa – $1,500 to support the center’s work to provide life-changing opportunities for low-income families, the underserved, and others in need. The grant is being allocated specifically to support the nonprofit’s Basic Need Assistance Program.
• Uncommon Grounds Café, Aliquippa – $1,500 to support the group’s work to turn vacant land in downtown Aliquippa into a vibrant community space through the Franklin Avenue Park project.

Since 2019, Vistra and Dynegy have donated more than half a million dollars in Pennsylvania to support partners making a difference locally. That means investing in food pantries, schools, fire departments, homeless shelters, and organizations focused on environmental sustainability, racial equity, and social justice, among other issues.

“Beaver County residents have a longstanding reputation of standing up to help their neighbors,” state Rep. Rob Matzie (D-16th). “These groups are the epitome of goodwill for all the work they’re doing in our communities to improve neighborhoods and help those in need. I’m grateful for the commitment Vistra and Dynegy have made to support these local efforts.”

As one of the largest competitive electricity providers in the country, Vistra generates enough electricity to power 20 million homes. The company operates in 20 states, including Pennsylvania. Vistra is powered by a diverse portfolio of natural gas, nuclear, solar, and battery energy storage facilities, including three power plants in the commonwealth.

Vistra’s Pennsylvania retail brands, including Dynegy, serve more than 2,000 residential and commercial customers in Beaver County.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner talks about Republican-led efforts to investigate his record addressing crime and gun violence on the front steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg on Friday, Oct. 21. 2022. Krasner said he believes lawmakers could be voting on an impeachment effort in the state House as early as next week. (AP Photo/Mark Scolforo)

By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Philadelphia’s elected prosecutor says he’s making plans to defend himself against a possible impeachment process by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Democratic District Attorney Larry Krasner said at a Harrisburg news conference on Friday that “there’s very little question that they’re going to move.” Krasner says he had been willing to testify before a special committee handling the matter but it would not permit him to record the closed-door proceedings. A spokesman for the House Republican leaders is calling Krasner’s news conference “a media stunt” and won’t say what his caucus’ plans are regarding impeachment votes. Krasner was overwhelmingly reelected last year.